Every year, thousands of people in the UK suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. When this happens, every second counts. Immediate CPR and the use of a defibrillator can dramatically increase a person's chance of survival. That's why initiatives like Check Your Defib Week are so important. But here's a question for you: Do you know where your nearest defibrillator is? And perhaps more importantly: Would you know what to do with it if someone's life depended on it? What Is

When most people think about surviving a cardiac arrest, they imagine the moment itself. The collapse, the CPR, the defibrillator, the hospital stay. What they don't often think about is what comes next. For many survivors of sudden cardiac arrest, the next chapter involves living with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), a remarkable piece of technology that sits quietly beneath the skin, constantly monitoring the heart and ready to intervene if something goes wr

At The Idiopath, we believe CPR is one of the most important life skills anyone can learn, and that starts with our young people in schools. Recently, we’ve had the privilege of delivering extracurricular training sessions to pupils completing their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. While these sessions contribute towards their wider development and studies, they also highlight something much bigger: the importance of equipping children and young people with the confidence and

Every year in the UK, tens of thousands of families are affected by sudden cardiac arrest. Despite advances in emergency medicine and public awareness, survival rates remain low, especially when CPR is delayed or not started immediately. The reality is simple: knowing CPR can save a life. Recent data published in the 2025 Resuscitation Council UK Guidelines paints a powerful picture of how cardiac arrest affects communities across the country, and why increasing public CPR tr

Last night was hard watch for our household, and I imagine a fair few others locally. Watching Nottingham Forest lose to Aston Villa in Europe hurt. Football has a way of pulling emotion out of people that few other things can. But this morning, our 10-year-old son Albert reminded me of something important about resilience. Albert is football mad, completely obsessed. He studies line-ups, watches highlights, recreates goals in the garden, and lives every moment of matchday em

When we talk about CPR training, most people picture a compliance exercise, like a box to tick or a certificate to file away. It's training you hope you never actually need. But that’s not what happens when training is delivered through lived experience. Recently, we worked with a single organisation, delivering short, focused CPR sessions to over 100 people. What came back wasn’t just positive feedback, it was something much more meaningful. It was a shift in confidence, a s

Today is World Day for Safety and Health at Work, a moment when organisations should pause to reflect on their policies, procedures, and compliance. And on paper, most workplaces are “safe.” By law, if you employ more than five people, you’re required to have a trained first aider, box ticked, requirement met. But let’s take that one step further. What if your first aider is the one who collapses? What if they’re on holiday? What if they’re working from home that day? Is your

Becoming an Ambassador for Nottingham Hospitals Charity is something I’m incredibly proud of, but for me, this isn’t just a title. It’s deeply personal. My connection with the charity goes back over a decade, to one of the most emotional and uncertain times in our lives, the premature birth of our son, Albert. Where It All Began When Albert was born early, he spent time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. As parents, that experience is something you never forget. You’re plac

When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, there is no countdown clock, no warning siren, and no time to hesitate. In those first few minutes, ordinary people can make the difference between life and death. At The Idiopath, this is not just something we teach, it is something we have lived. Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time, and knowing what to do in those first five minutes could save a life. What Is Cardiac Arrest? Cardiac arrest happens when the heart

Most Team Building Is a Waste of Time Let’s be honest, escape rooms, awkward icebreakers, and forced fun days might get a few laughs, but they rarely create real, lasting change. The result? Teams go straight back to: Poor communication Lack of trust Hesitation under pressure And when it actually matters… nothing has improved. The Problem: No Real-World Pressure The biggest issue with traditional team building is simple: It doesn’t replicate real pressure. In the workplace, p

Most teams are trained to perform tasks, but when pressure hits, when something goes wrong, when decisions need to be made quickly, or when someone needs to step up... that’s when the real test begins. And for many teams, that’s where things break down. Not because people don’t care, but because they haven’t been prepared for those moments. Why Traditional Team Building Isn’t Enough Typical team-building days focus on connection, communication, or fun activities. While these

Employee wellbeing has become a priority for forward-thinking organisations and rightly so. From mental health initiatives to fitness challenges, businesses are investing more than ever in supporting their teams. But there’s one area of wellbeing that’s still being overlooked. And it’s the one that could save a life. The Missing Piece in Workplace Wellbeing Most corporate wellbeing programmes focus on stress management, physical activity, and mindfulness. All valuable. All im

What Is Resilience and Can You Actually Build It? Resilience is often talked about as something you either have or you don’t. Some people seem naturally calm under pressure, able to handle setbacks and keep moving forward, while others feel overwhelmed when things don’t go to plan. But here’s the truth: resilience isn’t a personality trait. It’s a skill and yes, you can build it. So, What Is Resilience? At its core, resilience is your ability to adapt, recover, and keep going

If someone you loved collapsed in front of you, would you know what to do? It’s a difficult question, but an important one. Because when a cardiac arrest happens, the person next to them is often their only chance of survival. That’s why we’re bringing a community CPR training event to Lincoln on April 19th , designed to give everyday people the confidence to act when it matters most. A Story That Makes This Personal In 2024, Rob’s heart stopped. He survived only because his

Every year in the UK there are 30,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests. In those critical moments, CPR can make the difference between life and death. Yet many people in our communities still feel unprepared to step in. That’s exactly what we’re working to change. We’ve been delivering community CPR training sessions designed to equip local residents with the skills and confidence to act when it matters most. These sessions are simple, accessible, and focused on giving everyda

Cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, at home, at work, in the gym, or even out in the community. When it does, the first person there is rarely a healthcare professional. It’s usually a partner, a colleague, a friend, or a stranger nearby. That’s why learning CPR is one of the most valuable skills anyone can have. The good news is that there are several ways people in Nottingham can learn these life-saving skills. Community CPR Training Sessions Community CPR sessions are desi

Starting fresh can feel overwhelming when you try to change too much at once. The key is to focus on simple, foundational habits that build on each other over time. This 6-week habit reset guides you through easy steps to reset your spring routine by going back to basics.

Last night we had the privilege of speaking to the Critical Care Support Network about resilience. It was a real honour to be invited into that space. Being trusted to contribute to the conversation meant a great deal. What made the evening so valuable was the openness of the discussion. People shared their own experiences, reflections, and challenges around resilience, and it was clear just how complex and personal the topic can be. One question that came up really stayed wi

Every year in the UK, tens of thousands of people experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Survival depends heavily on one thing: immediate bystander CPR . Brain injury can begin within the first minutes without oxygen. Ambulances do incredible work, but they often cannot arrive within those first critical minutes. And yet, many people still hesitate. Not because they don’t care, but because they believe a myth. Let’s break down the most dangerous misconceptions about CP